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Billionaire Victoria’s Secret mogul Les Wexner to testify in House Jeffrey Epstein probe

The House Oversight Committee is hearing from a billionaire on Wednesday who was named one of Jeffrey Epstein’s co-conspirators by a 2019 FBI document.

Les Wexner is the latest person to be deposed in the House’s investigation into the federal government’s handling of Epstein’s case. 

Unlike most previous depositions, however, committee staff and potentially some lawmakers are traveling to Ohio on Wednesday morning to depose Wexner in his home state.

A spokesperson for Wexner declined to comment on the deposition and on whether he would invoke his Fifth Amendment right to avoid answering questions.

But if he cooperates with the committee’s questioning, Wexner’s insight is likely to be key to unlocking information on just how Epstein obtained his vast wealth before dying by suicide in a Manhattan jail in 2019.

The 88-year-old businessman is the founder of L Brands, formerly called The Limited, through which he acquired well-known companies Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works, Express, and Abercrombie & Fitch, among others.

He was also one of Epstein’s first major clients as a financial advisor, with Epstein being granted power of attorney over Wexner’s vast wealth.

Wexner also sold his Manhattan townhouse to Epstein, which was later discovered to be one of the locations where federal authorities accused Epstein of abusing young women and girls under 18.

But Wexner has never been criminally accused nor charged in relation to the late pedophile’s crimes.

A letter from Wexner to his Wexner Foundation charity dated Aug. 7, 2019, said he ended his relationship with Epstein sometime after the first federal investigation into his crimes emerged nearly 20 years ago.

Wexner also accused Epstein of misusing his vast wealth.

‘As the allegations against Mr. Epstein in Florida were emerging, he vehemently denied them. But by early fall 2007, it was agreed that he should step back from the management of our personal finances. In that process, we discovered that he had misappropriated vast sums of money from me and my family,’ read the letter, obtained by Fox News Digital on Tuesday.

‘This was, frankly, a tremendous shock, even though it clearly pales in comparison to the unthinkable allegations against him now. With his credibility and our trust in him destroyed, we immediately severed ties with him. We were able to recover some of the funds.’

Wexner is the fourth person appearing before the House Oversight Committee in its Epstein probe.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., previously oversaw the panel through the depositions of former Trump administration Attorney General Bill Barr, ex-Trump Labor Secretary Alex Acosta, who was the U.S. attorney in Florida who signed off on Epstein’s infamous 2008 non-prosecution agreement, and convicted Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.

Maxwell’s deposition lasted less than an hour after she invoked the Fifth Amendment, refusing to answer questions unless she was granted clemency by President Donald Trump.

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Vance, Harris, Obama issue tributes to Rev Jesse Jackson

Vice President JD Vance, former Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Barack Obama were among the prominent political figures who issued statements following the death of Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. The civil rights leader and two-time Democratic presidential primary candidate was 84.

Vance indicated that one of his family members voted for Jackson in the 1988 Democratic presidential primary and for Trump in the 2016 Republican presidential primary.

‘I have a close family member who voted in two presidential primaries in her entire life. Donald Trump in 2016 and Jesse Jackson in 1988,’ Vance wrote in a post on X. ‘RIP Jesse Jackson.’

Former Vice President Kamala Harris recalled getting positive reactions from others when she had a ‘Jesse Jackson for President’ bumper sticker on her car when she was a law student.

‘As a young law student, I would drive back and forth from Oakland, where I lived, to San Francisco, where I went to school. I had a bumper sticker in the back window of my car that read: ‘Jesse Jackson for President.’ As I would drive across the Bay Bridge, you would not believe how people from every walk of life would give me a thumbs up or honk of support. They were small interactions, but they exemplified Reverend Jackson’s life work — lifting up the dignity of working people, building community and coalitions, and strengthening our democracy and nation,’ she noted in a post on X.

‘I was proud to partner with and learn from him on this work throughout my career, and I am so grateful for the time we spent together this January. Reverend Jackson was a selfless leader, mentor, and friend to me and so many others,’ she wrote.

Former President Barack Obama noted in a statement that he and former first lady Michelle Obama ‘were deeply saddened to hear about the passing of a true giant, the Reverend Jesse Jackson.’

‘Michelle got her first glimpse of political organizing at the Jacksons’ kitchen table when she was a teenager. And in his two historic runs for president, he laid the foundation for my own campaign to the highest office of the land,’ Obama noted. ‘Michelle and I will always be grateful for Jesse’s lifetime of service, and the friendship our families share.’

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Why DOJ is caught up in two dozen court fights over voter rolls

Arguing that noncitizens could be on state voter rolls — something that is illegal under federal law — the Trump administration is escalating its campaign to obtain registration data ahead of the 2026 midterms, despite a string of federal court setbacks.

The strategy has unfolded on three fronts: cooperation from Republican-led states willing to share voter data, lawsuits against roughly two dozen blue and purple states that have refused, and a legislative push in Congress to tighten national voting requirements. Federal judges have so far rebuffed the administration’s legal demands, but the Justice Department is widening its campaign as Election Day draws near. 

Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow at the conservative group Advancing American Freedom, said voter rolls are a central focus ahead of the midterms because of the Trump administration’s concerns that noncitizens are on them and could end up voting. It is illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections.

‘The problem is, blue states, like Oregon, they have no interest in that kind of verification, so they’re not actually doing what they ought to be doing, which is running data-based comparisons with the [Department of Homeland Security],’ von Spakovsky told Fox News Digital.

The DOJ has made sweeping demands for not just publicly available voter roll data, but also sensitive information, such as voters’ partial Social Security numbers and dates of birth.

The latest state to successfully fight the DOJ’s request is Michigan, where Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said the federal government was not entitled to its 7 million voters’ personal information beyond what was already available.

The DOJ cited three federal laws, the Civil Rights Act, the Help America Vote Act and the National Voter Registration Act, that it said gave the Trump administration the right to the confidential information. Judge Hala Jarbou disagreed.

‘The Court concludes that (1) HAVA does not require the disclosure of any records, (2) the NVRA does not require the disclosure of voter registration lists because they are not records concerning the implementation of list maintenance procedures, and (3) the CRA does not require the disclosure of voter registration lists because they are not documents that come into the possession of election officials,’ Jarbou, a Trump appointee wrote.

Federal judges in Oregon and California have also thrown out the DOJ’s lawsuits. The DOJ could appeal the decisions. A department spokesperson declined to comment for this story.

But the DOJ has seen cooperation from red states, such as Texas, Alabama and Mississippi, who were among several to reach a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ that led the states to hand over the information the department wanted.

In another maneuver, Attorney General Pam Bondi pressured Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, to provide the Midwest battleground’s voter rolls, saying in a warning letter that such action would help ease unrest in the state that stemmed from a federal immigration crackdown there. 

Democrats were enraged by the letter and have argued the Trump administration is infringing on states’ rights to conduct their own elections.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Ct., argued the letter was a ‘pretext for Trump to take over elections in swing states,’ while a state lawyer described the letter as a ‘ransom note.’ The DOJ, at the time, told Fox News Digital Democrats were ‘shamelessly lying’ about the letter’s purpose. Bondi said that handing over the voter rolls was among several ‘simple steps’ Minnesota could take to ‘bring back law and order.’ A lawsuit is still pending in Minnesota over the voter rolls.

In Congress, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act would make it a national requirement that people registering to vote provide in-person proof of citizenship, such as birth certificates or passports. The legislation also includes a new national requirement for photo ID at the polls.

The bill has widespread Republican support. The House passed the SAVE Act last week, and even moderate Republican senators like Sen. Susan Collins, R-Me., have said they are on board with it. The bill is still stalled in the Senate, however, because it needs 60 votes to pass, meaning several Democrats would need to support it. Currently, none do. 

Von Spakovsky noted that the SAVE Act had a key provision that would allow private citizens to bring lawsuits over it.

‘There’s no question in my mind that if the Save Act gets passed, there are election officials in blue states that will be reluctant to or may refuse to enforce the proof of citizenship requirement,’ von Spakovsky said. ‘The Save Act provides a private right of action, so that means that citizens in Oregon could sue those election officials if they’re refusing to comply with the Save Act.’

He said the private right of action provision would also provide recourse for citizens if Democrats take over the DOJ in the next administration and refuse to enforce the SAVE Act.

Trump has repeatedly argued that noncitizen voting poses a threat to election integrity and has pressed Republican lawmakers to tighten federal requirements. Last week, he floated attempting to impose identification requirements through executive order if Congress does not act.

‘This is an issue that must be fought, and must be fought, NOW!’ Trump wrote on Truth Social. ‘If we can’t get it through Congress, there are Legal reasons why this SCAM is not permitted. I will be presenting them shortly, in the form of an Executive Order.’

A much broader bill called the Make Elections Great Again Act is still moving through the House and faces a steeper uphill climb to passage.

In addition to national documented proof of citizenship requirement, the MEGA Act would end universal mail voting, eliminate ranked-choice voting and ban ballots postmarked by Election Day from being accepted after that day, which would outlaw postmark rules in 14 states and Washington, D.C.

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US moves to expand missiles in Philippines, putting China within range

The U.S. is preparing to expand the deployment of advanced missile systems in the northern Philippines, placing additional long-range strike capability within range of key Chinese military assets and reinforcing Washington’s effort to counter Beijing’s growing assertiveness across the Indo-Pacific.

U.S. and Philippine officials announced plans to increase deployments of ‘cutting-edge missile and unmanned systems’ to the treaty ally, as both governments condemned what they described as China’s ‘illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive activities’ in the South China Sea.

The move comes as confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels have intensified in disputed waters and as Beijing continues to pressure Taiwan, raising the stakes across the region’s most sensitive flashpoints.

It builds on the deployment of the U.S. Army’s Typhon missile system in northern Luzon, Philippines, a ground-based launcher capable of firing Tomahawk cruise missiles that can travel more than 1,000 miles.

Tomahawks can travel more than 1,000 miles — a range that, from northern Luzon, Philippines, places portions of southern China and major People’s Liberation Army (PLA) facilities within reach. The positioning also allows the U.S. and Philippine militaries to cover large swaths of the South China Sea and key maritime corridors connecting it to the broader Pacific.

The U.S. first deployed the Typhon system to Luzon, Philippines, in April 2024. An anti-ship missile launcher known as the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System was deployed in 2025 to Batan Island in the northernmost Philippine province of Batanes.

That island faces the Bashi Channel, a strategic waterway just south of Taiwan that serves as a critical transit route for commercial shipping and military vessels moving between the South China Sea and the Western Pacific. Control of that channel would be vital in any potential Taiwan contingency.

Beijing has urged Manila to withdraw the U.S. systems from its territory, but officials under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. have rejected those demands.

‘China has consistently stated its firm opposition to the United States’ deployment of advanced weapons systems in the Philippines. The introduction of strategic and offensive weapons that heighten regional tensions, fuel geopolitical confrontation, and risk triggering an arms race is extremely dangerous. Such actions are irresponsible to the people of the Philippines, to Southeast Asian nations, and to regional security as a whole,’ Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu told Fox News Digital.  ‘The United States is not a party to disputes in the South China Sea and has no standing to intervene in maritime issues between China and the Philippines.’

‘The Taiwan question lies at the very heart of China’s core interests. China’s determination to defend its national sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity is unwavering. Any provocation that crosses red lines on Taiwan will be met with resolute countermeasures, and any attempt to obstruct China’s reunification is doomed to fail,’ Liu continued. 

Neither side detailed how many additional systems would be sent or whether the deployments would be permanent, but Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez said U.S. and Filipino defense officials discussed deploying upgraded missile launchers that Manila may eventually seek to purchase.

‘It’s a kind of system that’s really very sophisticated and will be deployed here in the hope that, down the road, we will be able to get our own,’ Romualdez told The Associated Press.

Romualdez stressed that the deployments are intended as a deterrent.

‘It’s purely for deterrence,’ he said. ‘Every time the Chinese show any kind of aggression, it only strengthens our resolve to have these types.’

China repeatedly has objected to the missile deployments, warning they threaten regional stability and accusing Washington of trying to contain its rise.

In a joint statement following annual bilateral talks in Manila, the U.S. and the Philippines underscored their support for freedom of navigation and unimpeded commerce in the South China Sea — a vital global trade artery through which trillions of dollars in goods pass each year.

‘Both sides condemned China’s illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive activities in the South China Sea, recognizing their adverse effects on regional peace and stability and the economies of the Indo-Pacific and beyond,’ the statement said.

China claims virtually the entire South China Sea despite an international tribunal ruling in 2016 that invalidated many of its sweeping claims. In recent years, Chinese coast guard and maritime militia vessels have clashed repeatedly with Philippine ships near disputed shoals, including Second Thomas Shoal.

The expanded missile deployments also come as the Pentagon balances rising tensions in multiple theaters. In recent weeks, the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group — which had been operating in the Indo-Pacific — was redirected toward the Middle East as the U.S. moved to bolster its posture amid escalating tensions with Iran. 

The deployments also reflect a broader U.S. effort to strengthen its military posture along the so-called ‘first island chain’ — a string of territories stretching from Japan through Taiwan and the Philippines that forms a natural barrier to Chinese naval expansion into the Pacific.

Washington has deepened defense cooperation with Manila under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, expanding U.S. access to Philippine bases, including sites in northern Luzon close to Taiwan.

China in May released a national security white paper criticizing the deployment of an ‘intermediate-range missile system’ in the region — widely viewed as a reference to the U.S. Typhon launcher in the Philippines. The document accused unnamed countries of reviving a ‘Cold War mentality’ and forming military ‘small groups’ that aggravate regional tensions.

For U.S. planners, dispersing mobile, land-based missile systems across allied territory complicates Beijing’s military calculus. Instead of relying solely on ships and aircraft, the U.S. can field ground-based systems that are harder to track and capable of holding Chinese naval and air assets at risk.

For Beijing, however, such deployments reinforce its long-standing claim that the United States is encircling China militarily.

As tensions simmer in both the South China Sea and around Taiwan, the positioning of long-range U.S. missile systems on Philippine soil underscores how the strategic competition between Washington and Beijing is increasingly being defined by geography — and by which side can project credible deterrent power across it.

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‘Hotdog Hans’ among top content is king for US free skiers

LIVIGNO, Italy — Normally, like most people, the holidays are the busiest time of year for United States free skier Alex Hall. From Thanksgiving to New Years, he’s booked. Sometimes he’s competing.

Most of the time? He’s filming. Whether it’s riding rails in public places or finding the gnarliest, steepest staircase to jump over, Hall’s passion has become making ski videos.

Ski videos, consumed on YouTube or social media by the general public, have become more than passion projects for athletes in their free time. They are a commercial vehicle – branding opportunities for a sport that receives the spotlight for two weeks and then largely disappears for the next 306.

To end 2025, though, Hall, 27, took the year off. Not because he wanted to.

“Honestly, it just didn’t line up with the schedule,” Hall said before competing at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.  

Hall had skipped the last five Christmases and had some obligations with his girlfriend’s family this time. The lack of snow in the United States made it easier, but he was still fiending for content creation. And as he started his Olympic training at the slopestyle and big air course in Livigno, Italy, his friends back home were filming.

‘It’s weird having FOMO at the Olympics, but I can’t lie,’ he said, ‘I have a little bit of FOMO.”

Hall knew once he was finished at the Olympics, which included a silver medal in the slopestyle event, he would have plenty of time to film.  

Hall prefers urban-style filming. Rather than waste time on TikTok or YouTube, he spends his hours after dinner scouring the next city on his path he can exploit. He researches cities via Google Earth, which he uses to scout handrails and staircases.

 ‘When I’m on a trip, that’s my guilty pleasure,’ he said.

Hall and Hunter Hess have a YouTube channel called ‘MAGMA’ that chronicles their careers from competition to cityscape. Their friend, Owen Dahlberg, films.  Whoever else wants to join can participate in the videos. The channel is home to 70 videos and nearly 25,000 subscribers.

During the season, they drive from event to event and stop along the way for content purposes.

‘When you do the competing and the filming, you have to make sure you balance both,” Hall said, ‘which is really tough to do.”

What’s special for them is that they love the work, whether it’s training for 10 hours per day on the mountain or driving around a municipality looking for rails to jump down.

‘We’re consumed by it,’ he said. ‘We’re super lucky. I always count my blessings of how lucky we are. That being said, as happy and as fortunate as we are, I think a lot of us work incredibly hard.’

In October, manufacturing brand Armada released a full-length film in front of a sold-out crowd at a warehouse in Salt Lake City. During the ‘Ornada” premiere, fans cheered like they were watching a basketball game as skiers found their lines in the powder or nailed tricks in urban spaces, according to Powder Magazine.

Getting to build and find the rails is the best part, said USA free skier Marin Hamill.

‘I think filming street is so fun because it’s so different than a contest,’ she said.

Ski movies – at least ones made by skiers for skiers – have been popular for three decades. Films such as the ‘Blizzard of Aahhh’s” (1988) and ‘Aspen Extreme” (1993) are solidified in their place within the culture.

2022 free ski Olympian and silver-medalist Colby Stevenson saw filming in the backcountry and riding bigger mountains as a natural progression from competing.

‘It’s really gratifying to get out where there’s nobody else and basically turn a whole mountain range into a playground,” Stevenson said. ‘I can’t tell you the freedom you feel out there on a snowmobile when you’re looking at a couple peaks in the distance and you’re just with your buddies like ‘All right!’ and going through the trees. It’s completely out of this world. You feel like you’re on a spaceship flying around. It’s insane.’

There are the obvious pitfalls of social media to consider, Stevenson said, because the image presented is inherently skewed from reality.

‘For people who don’t get to travel as much and experience these things – obviously you want to get out there and experience that stuff – it’s great for that as well,’ Stevenson said, ‘because we’re showing the beauty of the world and how awesome it is we have this planet as a playground.”

It is an ideal way to discover what his friends in the skiing community are up to, and he often finds himself motivated by his friends’ videos.

The way U.S. men’s halfpipe skier Alex Ferreira became involved, he said, was by “getting more serious with our fun, basically.’

And so the character ‘Hotdog Hans’ was born. Anyone familiar with NBA star Kyrie Irving’s ‘Uncle Drew’ bit will instantly understand the similarities. ‘Hotdog Hans’ comes out when Ferreira dresses up like an old man and messes with other slope-goers, pulling pranks on them or making them worry about his age before executing some ridiculous trick.

Hotdog Hans has 322,000 Instagram followers and 238,000 subscribers on YouTube. The sixth official Hotdog Hans video, released a month ago, has already racked up 254,000 YouTube views. Ferreira’s own Instagram checks in at 78,100 followers. 

What started as a clickbait mechanism instantly matured into a branding opportunity for Ferreira and his team. Within 15 minutes, Ferreira said, he realized the power of the character. Ferreira never fancied himself an actor, yet there he was, method acting.

‘We were having a lot of fun and we realized after the first one, we were just bringing a lot of joy to people,’ Ferreira told USA TODAY Sports. ‘It wasn’t just the average skier that loved it, it was a young kid, a young adult, a parent, and a grandparent. The four quadrants were all hit and everyone loved it.’

Those who take on backcountry skiing shoots are warriors for the manual labor involved, Ferreira said.

Why free skiers excel in content creation isn’t much of mystery to figure out. They are responsible for formulating tricks and then must be daring enough to execute them.

‘Honestly, I would say if you are creative or if you have some sort of ambition, put your kid in skiing because the options are limitless,’ Ferreira said.

The only difference between his and Hall’s ventures, Ferreira said, is the tone.

‘Their mind keeps wandering and wandering and wandering of things that they could potentially do, and they see it in their head and then they go and want to try it on snow, and I’m the same way, just in a bit more of a humorous aspect,’ Ferreira explained. ‘I hear a joke or I see a scene in my head and I think, ‘All right, well, maybe we could pull this off and get some laughs out of it.”

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Alysa Liu doesn’t ‘need’ to win Olympic medal. But America needs her to

MILAN — There are roughly 2,900 athletes in the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, all trying to win medals — except for one.

Already a gold medalist in the figure skating team event, Alysa Liu has a chance to add to the haul by taking home another piece of hardware in the all-important women’s singles. After the short program, she’s in position to do so, standing in third place behind the Japanese pair of Ami Nakai and Kaori Sakamoto.

Yet that’s not the top prize on Liu’s mind.

‘I just really want to be invited to the Olympic Gala, so I’m just putting it out there,” she said. ‘I have a really cool gala program that I’m working on, and it’s basically done. I have a dress for it and everything. I just got it today. So I’m thinking about it.’

OK, what about a medal?

“A medal?” Liu chuckles. “I don’t need a medal. I just need to be here, and I just need to be present. And I need people to see what I do next.”

While that’s all fine and dandy for Liu, not everyone else in U.S. figure skating is feeling the same way. They desperately need her to be on the podium.

During a night billed as the grand reveal of the ‘Blade Angels,’ Liu is the only one still flying. Tapping into the emotions of her ‘Promise’ program, she shined on the stage, capturing the audience’s hearts. 

She knew she did great when she was done, and almost couldn’t believe it. Her coaches Phillip Digugliemo and Massimo Scali were off the rink hugging, high-fiving and jumping for joy. The score reflected the outing, with Liu earning a season-best 76.59. 

The 20-year-old was the first U.S. skater to go, but the fellow Americans couldn’t replicate. Isabeau Levito was solid, but got pushed to eighth place after the Japanese skaters powered their way up the leaderboards. Amber Glenn had an impeccable start with the triple Axel and looked like she would be joining Liu up on the leaderboard.

Then the dreaded triple loop that wasn’t. Judges ruled it an invalid element, a devastating blow to the potential score Glenn could’ve received. She knew what happened, and understood the agony of ending up in 13th place. 

All three American women were considered possible medal contenders. Glenn is likely too far behind to get close to the podium, and while Levito is closer, the gap is still significant. 

Heading into the free skate, Liu is really the only hope left for the U.S.

Coming into the Winter Olympics, there was a belief the U.S. could end up winning gold in three of the four disciplines. After it opened the team event with a win, the possibility of four golds seemed in reach. There was also talk of an American sweep of women’s medals.

Now nearly two weeks later, it may end up being the only gold U.S. figure skating gets. Madison Chock and Evan Bates controversially settled for silver in ice dance and Ilia Malinin’s tough free skate resulted in no medal in men’s singles. The pairs did well but nowhere near medal contention.

The U.S. needs to salvage this trip and end with a women’s medal. Gold is preferred, but Liu has a tough challenge going against Nakai and Sakamoto. You also can’t forget the other Japanese skater Mone Chiba, who is in fourth place. If Liu holds her own, she can hang. 

The doomsday scenario is if Liu doesn’t medal – and that could mean a Japan sweep. That could also mean Russian skater Adeliia Petrosian, in fifth, getting on the podium as an Individual Neutral Athlete — what would be the final nail in the coffin for the U.S. hopes.

Not only that, but no medal continues a drought of no U.S. women’s singles medalist the past 20 years, already its longest in Olympic history.

No pressure, right? Well, Liu isn’t feeling it. 

‘I do have a new dress for the free skate, so I’m really excited for that,” she said.

Some might find the nonchalant attitude concerning, but remember this is who Liu is, and honestly, what makes her great. She skates because she loves it and has fun doing it. Her world-class talent is just a bonus.

Maybe it will help, because Team USA needs her to save the Olympics.

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Where will the top 10 NFL free agents land?

The race is on for all 32 NFL teams to find ways to improve in 2026. Bar the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, every team has standards to be better next season than they were in 2025.

There are multiple ways for teams to improve. NFL front offices use trades, the NFL Draft and free agency to bolster their rosters.

Free agency may be expensive but it can be an effective way to turn a franchise around. The New England Patriots reached Super Bowl 60 against the Seahawks with a roster featuring multiple starters acquired through free agency.

There’s no single formula for building through free agency. High-impact signings can come at different positions. Philadelphia signed running back Saquon Barkley during the 2024 offseason and he powered a Super Bowl title. New England’s biggest addition last year was defensive tackle Milton Williams, who signed one of the biggest contracts of the offseason.

What is clear is who the top free-agent talent is in this upcoming offseason. There are All-Pro and Pro Bowl talents on the open market for teams to give out large contracts to.

Where they end up is a mystery at this point but we’ll break out our crystal ball and see what sounds best. Here are predictions for the top 10 free agents this offseason:

NFL free agent predictions

WR George Pickens

As much fun as it would be to see a bidding war for Pickens’ services on the outside, we doubt it’ll get that far. Dallas looks poised to use the franchise tag for the second-team All-Pro wideout. He was an outstanding fit with CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott to power one of the best offenses in the NFL in 2025. It may end up a long process as usual in Dallas but Pickens likely isn’t going anywhere in 2026.

DE Trey Hendrickson

Free agency worked well for the Patriots in 2025 and could work well again in 2026. Because of years of bad drafting, there aren’t many young players on extensions on New England’s roster. They once again have ample cap space entering the offseason.

Hendrickson is far from a long-term starter entering his age-32 season. But the Patriots need some pass-rush juice off the edge. Hendrickson could hold things over for a year or two as the team continues to churn out more talent from the draft.

C Tyler Linderbaum

It’s no secret that the Chargers had one of the worst interior offensive line groups in the league last season. They realistically could use upgrades at both guard spots and center.

Linderbaum is a three-time Pro Bowler and is entering his age-26 season. Centers like him rarely make the open market and the Chargers have the third-most money to spend in free agency, per OverTheCap. It’s an easy comparison to make with the Chargers signing Mekhi Becton last offseason but a lazy one. Linderbaum’s track record is more promising for protecting franchise quarterback Justin Herbert.

OLB Jaelan Phillips

Phillips is the rare edge rusher hitting free agency close to his prime. He’s entering his age-27 season and had a solid 2025 campaign with both the Dolphins and Eagles. He’ll command a big price tag and the Titans should pay it.

Tennessee has more cap space than any other team in the NFL in 2026. They have stars on the interior defensive line and a defensive-minded head coach, Robert Saleh, who worked with long, fast edge rushers at his previous stops. This makes sense as a serious investment to upgrade the defense in 2026.

QB Daniel Jones

Prediction: Indianapolis Colts

The Achilles injury hangs over all of this. Since it was suffered late in the season, that’ll cause even more uncertainty for Jones’ market in 2026. He may not be ready for Week 1 of 2026.

Still, he was playing the best football of his career for the Colts, as part of the league’s most efficient offense for most of the regular season. Indianapolis has no clear path to a competent starter outside of Jones at this point, so it seems in the best interest of both parties that he stays put.

OLB Odafe Oweh

The Buccaneers’ defense struggled to get after opposing passers in 2025. Tampa Bay finished in the bottom 10 in pressure rate and just one player had five sacks (YaYa Diaby).

Tampa Bay has some money to work with this offseason. They’ve invested in the secondary and all over the offense in recent drafts. Oweh has played very well in rotational roles for both the Chargers and the Baltimore Ravens. Giving him more runway as a starter entering his age-28 season is a worthwhile investment for the Buccaneers.

QB Malik Willis

Willis has played well in spot start duty for the Green Bay Packers over the last two years and will command good money in a year without many good options in the NFL draft at quarterback.

Arizona ushers in a new era under Mike LaFleur in 2026. Kyler Murray may not be part of his future plans. With that in mind, Arizona signs Willis as at least a bridge to the future. LaFleur can call up his brother Mike to better understand how to use the quarterback.

WR/KR Rashid Shaheed

Shaheed made some key plays for the Seahawks in their run to a Super Bowl victory. He enters free agency as a champion and dynamic threat as a wide receiver and kick returner.

New York has the third-most cap space and Shaheed is entering his age-28 season. There’s still plenty of time for him to contribute to an NFL team. Signing him would make receiver a less pressing need in the upcoming NFL draft and add a vertical presence to the Jets’ offense.

TE Kyle Pitts

Pitts is exactly the kind of underperforming talent the Eagles like to take a chance on. He’s just 25 years old and can be an explosive threat from the tight end position.

Philadelphia is middle-of-the-pack in cap space this offseason and tight end Dallas Goedert is hitting free agency. Getting younger and more dynamic at the position would be beneficial for an offense that needs to improve in 2025.

RB Breece Hall

Kansas City struggled to consistently run the ball in 2025. Isiah Pacheco and the rest of the veterans at the position didn’t provide the pop out of the backfield to complement a passing game equally lacking consistent explosiveness.

Hall has the athleticism to upgrade the running back room in Kansas City. Yes, the Chiefs have a top-10 pick for the first time in nearly a decade but they could use that premium asset on other needs. Instead, they use free agency to add to the position with Hall.

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K-State said it fired Tang ‘for cause.’ Will that hold up in court?

The two parties are in agreement on this: Jerome Tang is no longer the men’s basketball coach at Kansas State.

Things get dramatically more complicated from there. Kansas State holds that Tang, who was fired on Sunday, can be dismissed “for cause,” which would invalidate the $18.7 million buyout associated with his contract.

“This was a decision that was made in the best interest of our university and men’s basketball program,’ athletics director Gene Taylor said in a statement.

“Recent public comments and conduct, in addition to the program’s overall direction, have not aligned with K-State’s standards for supporting student-athletes and representing the university. We wish Coach Tang and his family all the best moving forward.”

Taylor’s remarks refer to comments Tang made following a 91-62 loss to Cincinnati on Feb. 11, which dropped the Wildcats’ record to 10-15 overall and 1-11 in Big 12 play.

“This was embarrassing,” Tang had said. “These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform, and there will be very few of them in it next year. I’m embarrassed for the university, I’m embarrassed for our fans, and our student section. It’s just ridiculous.”

Tang’s attorneys, Tom Mars and Bennett Speyer, pushed back on the school’s characterization.

If Taylor and university president Richard Linton “really think the school was embarrassed by recent events,” they said in a statement shared with ESPN, “that’s nothing compared to the embarrassment that both of them are about to experience.”

What does it mean to be fired “for cause”?

Dozens of major-conference men’s basketball and football coaches will be fired in any given year, the wide majority for simply failing to win enough games.

That’s certainly the case with Tang, who led Kansas State to an unexpected Elite Eight appearance as the first-year coach in 2023 but was unable to capitalize on that early success. Since losing to Florida Atlantic in the regional final that March, the Wildcats have gone a combined 45-47 with one postseason appearance, a trip to the NIT in 2024 that ended in the first round.

Occasionally, however, schools are able to fire coaches for contractual violations that can minimize or even outright negate agreed-upon buyout figures.

“The most important part of a contract is not what is being paid, but how you get fired, how you get terminated,” said Martin Greenberg, a sports lawyer and professor of sports law at Marquette University. “That’s the most important part of a contract these days.”

In these scenarios, universities can dismiss a coach for missteps related to NCAA penalties, inappropriate behavior or, as stated in Tang’s contract, a “failure or refusal to perform his duties and responsibilities as head coach.”

“A university’s most realistic options often are to: (1) continue to employ the coach because of the coach’s success or because it is cost prohibitive to terminate the coach’s employment without cause; or (2) attempt to terminate the coach with cause and likely encounter litigation,” University of Iowa Professor Josh Lens wrote in a 2022 article for the Villanova Law Review.

One recent example is former Ohio football coach Brian Smith, who was placed on leave in early December and then fired later that month for ‘serious professional misconduct and activities that reflect unfavorably on the University,” the school said.

Another is former Michigan coach Sherrone Moore. The Wolverines’ second-year coach was terminated with cause in December after an investigation unearthed an inappropriate relationship with a staff member, saving the school from paying the roughly $14 million buyout he was owed in his contract.

Did Jerome Tang violate his contract?

According to a contract signed in 2023, Tang agreed he could be fired for cause without being “entitled to the payment of any compensation, benefits, or damages.”

In addition to “serious or multiple violations” of NCAA rules or “material fraud or dishonesty,” issues that could lead to a for-cause firing were “insubordination” or “objectional behavior” and “intentional, negligent or other failure or refusal in any material respect to perform the duties and responsibilities of Head Coach required under this Agreement.”

Kansas State’s efforts to obtain a for-cause firing seem to hinge on responsibilities outlined to Tang under the category of “Specific Duties and Responsibilities.”

In addition to requiring Tang to devoting his “full professional time” to serving as the Wildcats’ head coach, the list of responsibilities included two key requests:

One, “promoting and encouraging support of the Team’s student-athletes. And two, to avoid engaging in “any behaviors, actions, or activities” that could subject the university “to public disrepute, embarrassment, ridicule, or scandal.”

By absolving itself of the need to pay Tang’s buyout, Kansas State could save a significant sum of money at a time when many major-conference athletics departments are attempting to piece together revenue-sharing payments given directly to student-athletes under last year’s House v. NCAA settlement.

The crux of Kansas State’s argument comes down to this: By disparaging members of the team, did Tang fail to conduct himself in a manner consistent with being the Wildcats’ head coach?

“I am deeply disappointed with the university’s decision and strongly disagree with the characterization of my termination,’ Tang said in a statement. “I have always acted with integrity and faithfully fulfilled my responsibilities as head coach.”

What happens next with Jerome Tang and Kansas State?

Tang and Kansas State should eventually come to an undisclosed financial agreement that ends any potential litigation and permanently severs the relationship between both parties.

This is what unfolded in the high-profile disagreement between LSU and former football coach Brian Kelly. Two weeks after relieving Kelly in late October, the school informed his representatives it would be attempting to fire him for cause. If successful, LSU would have been off the hook for Kelly’s full buyout of $54 million.

According to Kelly’s contract, he could have been fired for cause because of “substantial” rules violations, a felony conviction or conduct that damaged the university’s brand. By the end of November, LSU agreed to pay Kelly’s full buyout, which became the second-largest in NCAA history.

One factor that stands to complicate Kansas State’s argument is Taylor’s willingness to allow Tang to remain as coach through the end of the season with a renegotiated buyout number, Taylor said on Monday.

If open to retaining Tang for another month, Tang’s lawyers could contend, how could the school find his behavior to be inappropriate enough to warrant an immediate for-cause dismissal?

In the end, both Kansas State and Tang will likely find a sort of common ground, one that absolves the school of some financial commitment and avoids a very public and possibly embarrassing legal back-and-forth that could cause damage to both parties’ reputation.

“It’s better to settle these things in the boardroom rather than the courtroom,” Greenberg said. “To let out the dirty laundry in public doesn’t do any good for the school, doesn’t do any good for the students, doesn’t do any good for recruiting or for donations.”

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This Olympian is among 10 of the top risers in the NHL draft class

The NHL draft is a fluid process. 

Nothing ever really stays the same, and from team to team, opinions on players vary widely. 

There is a group of players every year that rise up boards, however. This year, that ranges from players who have put themselves in the top-10 conversation to prospects who have proven they are worth consideration in the first round. 

Prospects can rise up draft lists because of elite-level play or a physical tool kit that oozes potential. A prospect improving through the latter half of the season tantalizes NHL teams looking to select the hot hand

Let’s dive into 10 of the names who are rising up the draft boards.

10 NHL draft risers

Jukurit (Finland) defenseman Alberts Smits

It’s been said a million times at this point, but the rise of Alberts Smits has been impressive beyond belief. He’s the closest thing to Moritz Seider in his draft year, considering he’s a big, mobile defender who showcases two-way dominance at every level. Smits could be a legitimate top-five prospect in this draft class after starting the year as a potentially intriguing prospect going outside of the first round. He had two points in four games for Latvia at the Olympics.

Djurgarden (Sweden) center Viggo Bjorck

If Bjorck hadn’t proven over the last two months that he’s a legitimate center prospect, he probably would have faced a much tougher climb up draft boards. Bjorck was a very reliable center at the world juniors and has been a top-six center in the Swedish League. In a weak year for centers, he’s becoming a topic of conversation among the top pivots in the class.

Boston University (NCAA) left wing Oscar Hemming

After not playing hockey for the first few months of the season, Hemming joined the Boston University Terriers and immediately started to tear it up. Hemming has brought the scoring touch he’s been known for, along with a physical edge. His pace has been immediately noticeable against college competition, and his eight points in 12 games have been well above expectations. 

Peterborough (OHL) left wing Adam Novotny

Novotny’s impressive transition ability, dual-threat offensive game and sound two-way play have taken a bit to garner recognition, but he has started to show up in the top 20 on many draft boards. Novotny is a well-rounded player who impressed at the world juniors despite only recording three assists. He may not have the offensive upside of some players around the top half of the first round, but he has a very clear floor to build on. 

U.S. NTDP (USHL) left wing Wyatt Cullen

An impressive USHL prospects game helped get more attention on him, but Cullen has been a catalyst offensively for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. His speed and skill make him a gamebreaker at times. The NTDP doesn’t have many true difference-makers, but Cullen has emerged throughout this season. His scoring totals aren’t quite as high as we are used to seeing in the top NTDP players, but he paces the squad this year. 

Prince George (WHL) defenseman Carson Carels

It was impressive enough that Carels made the world junior squad for Team Canada, but he has shown a well-rounded game in the WHL. He’s physically mature and shows a willingness to get involved physically along the boards. Carels isn’t a silky smooth puck-mover, but he’s a rock-solid two-way player who is showing himself capable of more as the season progresses. 

Quebec (QMJHL) center Maddox Dagenais

Dagenais is a big center with a physical edge and a willingness to play simple hockey. He has been throwing big reverse hits, getting in on the forecheck and playing dump-and-chase hockey while attacking the net front once he has possession in the offensive zone. Dagenais plays the game like an NHLer in a lot of ways, which isn’t typical coming out of the QMJHL. With so few centers in this year’s class, he could easily fly up boards.

Miami (NCAA) center Ilya Morozov

Last year, Morozov had a perfectly good season in the USHL. He was a solid forward who showed flashes of skill. When he got to the NCAA, expectations were fairly low, given he is one of the youngest players in the draft class and the youngest in college hockey. That said, he’s been a top power-play threat, a penalty-killer and a top-six center consistently throughout this season. Although he’s not playing the highest level of competition, he’s been excelling at every turn. 

Lulea (Sweden) center Casper Juustovaara Karlsson

There are very few players who play with the edge, the motor and the relentless pace of Casper Juustovaara Karlsson. The undersized forward plays north-south hockey, driving the net. He doesn’t shy away from physical play either and oftentimes invites it. Not every team will be able to get by his 5-foot-9 size, but if they can, they’ll get one of the hardest workers in the draft.

London (OHL) left wing Jaxon Cover

After building up his skill level and creativity while dominating the roller hockey circuits, Cover made the jump to ice hockey full-time, and he’s one of the London Knights’ scoring leaders. Cover is a highly skilled yet very raw prospect who has only been playing ice hockey for about half a decade. With the growth he’s shown already, the sky is the limit for the silky-skilled left winger.

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Simone Biles speaks with Ilia Malinin, offers encouragement

If there’s an American Olympic athlete who can relate to what Ilia Malinin went through on Friday, Feb. 13, it would be Simone Biles.

Malinin — nicknamed ‘The Quad God’ — entered the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics as the favorite in the men’s figure skating competition — he was a two-time reigning world champion and four-time U.S. national champion. But, there’s a different level of pressure to perform on the Olympic stage. Malinin’s long program turned into a nightmare, and the skater finished outside of the medals in eighth place.

At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Biles — a seven-time Olympic gold medalist — entered those Games with expectations to win five gold medals, only to struggle with the ‘twisties’ and withdraw from some events. She went home with silver (team event) and bronze (balance beam) medals.

Biles was in attendance at Milano Ice Skating Arena for Malinin’s disappointing long program on Feb. 13, after which Malinin admitted that he ‘was not ready to handle’ the Olympic pressure.

In the aftermath of Malinin’s upsetting performance, Biles was among a number of notable athletes who reached out to him, and the two spoke on Tuesday, Feb. 17.

‘Just for someone to validate his feelings and to know we’ve gone through the same things, but you can still come out on top,’ Biles told Olympics.com. ‘While I was telling him some of what I thought he might be going through or how to move forward from this, he was like, ‘Exactly this. Exactly.’ He was like, ‘You finally just said it.”

Malinin had a seemingly comfortable five-point lead after the short program, but fell twice and did not fully complete other elements of his difficult long program.

‘I was really worried about how his mental health was going to be,” Biles told Olympics.com. ‘When you’re expected to skate a performance of your lifetime and you don’t deliver, I worry how that affects his mental (health) and how the world is going to view that.

‘I’ve been through that firsthand and so I really went into protection mode.’

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